I like the fact that Lemaire does seem to be a knowledgeable coach and I'm sure he is trying to evaluate what seems to be wrong with the Devils. However, I actually kind of understand what Elias saying and agree with him somewhat. It seems that Lemaire is just sort of tossing things around like a salad.

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They Devils did use 9 forwards earlier in the season, people were mad about it since it wasn't scoring goals then.

This also wasn't Zajac's first time being used at the point.

Point being, the PP was hot and so people don't want it to have been changed, but it wasn't going to be hot forever, and they've been trying different things all season. They've all worked if guys first shots are going in and they've all failed when they haven't. To look at the PP that was hot for a few games and act like it found a magic formula isn't right.

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They Devils did use 9 forwards earlier in the season, people were mad about it since it wasn't scoring goals then.

This also wasn't Zajac's first time being used at the point.

Point being, the PP was hot and so people don't want it to have been changed, but it wasn't going to be hot forever, and they've been trying different things all season. They've all worked if guys first shots are going in and they've all failed when they haven't. To look at the PP that was hot for a few games and act like it found a magic formula isn't right.

And Lemaire's power play was historically bad the second half of last season and has been awful again since he came back so maybe he should have left bad enough alone at least until the PP did go cold again.

He changes things that don't need to be changed, like when Parise-Zajac-Zubrus were dynamite for a few games last year then he all of a sudden decides to put Zubrus on the fourth line, 'to get them going'. As if Zubrus is even a good enough player to elevate a line on his own anyway.

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yeah, he should keep his mouth shut when he's right and the coach is wrecking one of the few things they did well. makes sense. bottom line is JL probably wasn't watching the Devils when this worked, and Zajac was not playing paddy-cake with Kovy at the point earlier in the season. it was a desperation move, because no one overloads their PP with *no defensemen* and having a C, who has to take the faceoff, play a lone point unless they've just run out of logical things that could work.

but, since Lemaire was up in the mountains of Quebec or wherever he was, I'm pretty damn sure he wasn't paying attention to it. like I said, why would he want to?

this is the guy who tried Parise at the point. he's stubborn and I don't think he does his homework before he shows up. obviously, this time, he has a perfectly valid excuse not to.

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yeah, he should keep his mouth shut when he's right and the coach is wrecking one of the few things they did well. makes sense. bottom line is JL probably wasn't watching the Devils when this worked, and Zajac was not playing paddy-cake with Kovy at the point earlier in the season. it was a desperation move, because no one overloads their PP with *no defensemen* and having a C, who has to take the faceoff, play a lone point unless they've just run out of logical things that could work.

but, since Lemaire was up in the mountains of Quebec or wherever he was, I'm pretty damn sure he wasn't paying attention to it. like I said, why would he want to?

this is the guy who tried Parise at the point. he's stubborn and I don't think he does his homework before he shows up. obviously, this time, he has a perfectly valid excuse not to.

Which stellar defenseman are we going to put at the point, Tallinder or Greene?

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The fact that Lemaire is here at all is a joke, and the fact that he played scrubs (who have no future here) on a power play in a tight game shows that he's really out to lunch. Whatever, it all fits like a glove considering how screwed up things are in NJ.

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Patty has been vocal all season when he has seen something he didn't like. I doubt he is the only person in the dressing room thinking it. I dont think he was overly negative or disruptive. If anyone else had said it i would have felt the same.

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I think Elias is exactly right with his analysis, but PLEASE keep it in the locker room for God's sake. I thought we finally had some attack going on the PP, so stick with it. Who wants to see us NOT score on the PP just to keep fresh lines post-PP that are also NOT scoring? I mean, seriously?

But this team has to build confidence and trust from within first and this is as much players to coach as players to players. Give Lemaire some time to work with the team and get us some respect back again, and then let's get a decent coach we can all get behind for the next 5+ years.

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Voicing your opinion about changes you don't like and still going out busting your @$$ night in and night out is a whole lot different than whining about being benched and then completely quitting on the team for the latter half of the season while you are still captain...but yeah its totally the same.

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JL has forgotten more hockey than all of us put together will ever know. The man is in the top echelon of teachers at any level.

Elias should shut the fu*k up and try to hit the net a bit more.

Yeah, JL fu*ked everything up last year ......another Atlantic Division Championship. And, if you want to throw out the "another 1st round exit", just look at our regular season record vs. Philly last year. They wore us as their asshat.... I expected nothing less, as we were their bitches all of last year.